1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cell cultivating device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Developments within cell biology have led to increased demands for devices for the production of eucariotic cells, with the purpose of producing biologically active compounds produced by the cells.
For static cultures it is well known to use a flat, flask- or bottle-like, closed container having a neck defining an opening which may be closed by means of a screw cap. When the container is in use it is arranged with a pair of spaced, parallel larger side walls in a substantially horizontal position, and a liquid cell cultivating medium covers the inner surface of the lower container wall, which may have been subject to a surface treatment allowing good cell attachment. As cell cultivation may take place only on the inner surface o the lower container wall or the bottom wall the production capacity of such a flask- or bottle-like container is rather limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,373 discloses a disposable cell culture device comprising a flask-like container with a neck defining an opening for introducing and removing cultivating medium and cells. The container contains a micro-constructed embodiment integrated in a unitary structure with the bottom wall of the container. The micro-embodiment comprises mutually spaced, interconnected plates having pores defined therein. When in use the micro-embodiment is submerged into a cultivating medium contained in the container. After use the cultivating medium may be discharged through the container neck, and the cells produced may be flushed out from the container in a known manner.
DK-B-143568 discloses an apparatus for mass cultivation of diploid cells, the apparatus being formed by a stack of superposed trays clamped together by means of bolts so as to define superposed closed cultivating chambers, which are interconnected by inlet passages. When a suitable total amount of cultivating medium has been filled into the apparatus through the inlet passages this medium may be distributed substantially evenly in the various chambers by placing the apparatus so that the chambers extend vertically, and subsequently moving the apparatus back to its normal position in which the chambers are horizontal. The upper surface of each tray may have been subject to a treatment securing improved cell attachment and growth.
The latter known cultivating device or apparatus may comprise any desired number of trays so that a large area covered with liquid cultivating medium may be obtained. However, care must be taken to ensure that adjacent trays are kept in sealing engagement with each other in order that cultivating medium from the cultivating chambers cannot leak out between the adjacent trays defining the respective chamber, and so as to prevent gas from escaping from and prevent atmospheric air from flowing into the cultivating chambers.
GB-A-1,539,263 discloses an apparatus for growing cells and comprising a plurality of cell attachment plates, which are arranged one above the other, and which are contained within a closed container having a filling or inlet opening for cell suspension. Each cell attachment plate, which is rectangular, is fused with the adjacent container walls along three sides. At one side each cell attachment plate is provided with an upstanding wall, which is spaced from the adjacent container wall.
In order to fill cell suspension into this known apparatus and have it distributed on the various cell attachment plates, the apparatus is placed in a filling position in which the apparatus is supported by one of the container side walls. Thereafter, the apparatus is tilted to a second position in which the apparatus is supported by another container side wall, and finally, the apparatus is tilted to a position of use in which the cell attachment plates extend horizontally and the apparatus is supported by the container bottom wall or by feet provided thereon.